Dallas' Dez Bryant (88) attempts to make a catch between New York's Corey Webster (left) and Michael Coe. Bryant caught the ball, but it was ruled incomplete as his hand landed out of bounds.

ARLINGTON, Texas - Sunday evening, roughly two hours after Tony Romo appeared to cement his reputation, and that of a once-proud Dallas Cowboys franchise, he was granted a reprieve. So was Dez Bryant.

For one heart-stopping moment, it appeared Byrant's impressive, last-second go-up-and-get-it grab near the back of the end zone would erase Sunday's early debacles and get him and his quarterback out of the doghouse.

But upon further review, Byrant's fingertips landed out of bounds. With 1 second left, Romo tried again, but sailed another pass beyond the end zone. This one may have landed halfway to the former site of Texas Stadium in Irving.

It appears that's as close as the current regime will get to the Cowboys of yesteryear.

The Cowboys hit a new low in their 29-24 loss to the New York Giants. Maybe the fans finally figured it out as they spent much of Sunday booing and cursing Romo and owner Jerry Jones when their faces popped up on the gigantic HD screens.

"I would have booed, too," Romo said. "We deserved it at the time."

Dallas just doesn't lose quietly; it finds a way to rip the hearts out of its fans in the process - especially against the Giants.

A middle-school-like start by Romo and Bryant put Dallas in a 23-point hole before 2 minutes had elapsed in the second quarter. It was a deficit the Cowboys had never overcome en route to victory.

However, a wild comeback engineered by the man mainly responsible for the disastrous beginning tantalized the rabid Cowboys fans. Romo kept throwing - to his team - and the Cowboys kept scoring. Suddenly, Dallas took the lead on a 1-yard pass to John Phillips.

Unfortunately, it was still the third quarter.

When the Giants entered the fourth quarter trailing 24-23, they must have felt at home. All three Giants victories in Cowboys Stadium entering Sunday were of the come-from-behind variety - two of the rallies came in the final quarter.

Make that three, now.

Nothing was needed from Giants quarterback Eli Manning until the final quarter. Thanks to Romo's pick-6, one of three early interceptions, and a fumbled punt by Bryant, the Giants totaled just 15 yards in three of their first five scoring drives.

"You can't play like that and win the game," Jones said. "You can give that kind of effort, but you can't make those kind of mistakes and win ballgames."

When it mattered, Eli did what he needed. He led the Giants to a pair of field-goal drives. It was enough.

For six years under Romo, Dallas has been waiting for the Cowboys to do the same. The list of missed opportunities in big games far exceeds the triumph or two.

"Those games are always so close," Jones said. "I've been a part of some close ones for 24 years. This is as disappointing as it's been, and I know it was for our fans."

New York remained perfect (4-0) in this building, moved to 6-2 this season and stretched its lead in the NFC East to 2 1/2 games over the Cowboys and Eagles, both 3-4 after losses Sunday.

The start, the middle, the end - every portion of Sunday's matchup was unbelievable on its own. The result and ramifications, however, are a surprise to no one.

Did they really need to play the final 43 minutes here? Didn't Cowboys fans gone through enough in the first quarter-and-change?

Nah, Romo and Co. had to really drive the dagger deep - into the hearts of their fans and any shot of contending in the East.

"The emotions were crazy," said Cowboys cornerback and former Fair Park and LSU star Morris Claiborne. "We really wanted this game. As a unit, as a whole, as a team, we didn't do enough."

The Giants were merely bystanders. Dallas controlled the game and the emotions of more than 94,000 fans - no matter the color of jersey or allegiance.

As usual, the score didn't tell the story.

The boos sure did, though.

Connect with Roy Lang III on Twitter at @RoyLangIII.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Roy Lang III: Cowboys a Giant tease

ARLINGTON, Texas ? Sunday evening, roughly two hours after Tony Romo appeared to cement his reputation, and that of a once-proud Dallas Cowboys franchise, he was granted a reprieve. So was Dez Bryant.